Horse Production

They’re not just for glue anymore

Horses

• Draft Horses: used for pulling loads• Light Horses: not used for draft• Average cost to keep a horse for one year =

$800

Clydesdale

Percheron

Horse Breeds

• Quarter Horse: working ranch horse

– AQHA: largest horse breed assoc. in U.S.

– fast sprinter (1/4 mile) = quarter horse

– first breed developed in U.S. (1600’s)

– most heavily muscled light horse

– 14-16 hands tall at withers• Hand = 4”

Quarterhorse

Horse Breeds

• Thoroughbred: horse shows & racing

– faster at longer distances (1/4 - 2 miles)

– jumping & hunting competitions

– 15-17 hands tall• Appaloosa: pleasure & parade horse

– eye circled by white, skin is mottled

Thoroughbred

Appaloosa

Horse Breeds• Arabian: oldest recorded breed

– endurance, heat tolerant

– known for good looks

– 14-15 hands tall• Standardbred: harness racing• Tennessee Walking Horse: fancy gait (walk)• American Saddlebred: riding, show, parade

Arabian

Standardbred

Tennessee Walking Horse

Horse Breeds• Morgan: parade, hunting, jumping• American Paint Horse: rodeo

– solid color on head with white spots on body or visa-versa

• Pinto: spotted, good behavior, family horse• Palomino: golden with ivory mane & tail• Pony of America: larger than Shetland Pony

11-13 hands tall

Morgan

American Paint

Pinto

Palomino

Pony of America

Lipazzon

Mustang

Shetland

Horse Care

• Nutrition: will eat 1 1/2 - 3% of body wt daily• feed smaller amounts than cows, more

frequently• 10-12 gallons of water / day• hays, grains, supplements• 4 parts roughage to 1 part concentrate

– more grain if horse is working

Horse Care

• Reproduction: low conception rate• Mares more likely to conceive in spring• Health: colic (abdominal pain) & broken

bones most serious• Vaccinate annually• Worm regularly: at least twice / year

Horse Terms

• What do you call a mature male?

Stallion• What do you call a mature female?

Mare• What do you call a castrated male?

Gelding

Horse Terms

• What do you call a young horse?

foal or colt• What do you call an immature female?

Filly• What do you call the act of giving birth?

Foaling• What is the gestation for a horse?

330 days